Book VII: Live and Learn
by tdfireproof
Summary: After leaving the Volturi in book 6 Embry adjusts to being a father of two children while Mike tries to see his family, but there is always more than that as Elzam and Arthur's Team intend to clear the Vampire plague off the U.S. map
1. Live and Learn

**Disclaimer: I really have lost new ways to say I'm not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Sometimes we fall, some times we fail, but those strong among us must live and learn.**

**Mike's POV**

_Maine. I'd never been here but here we were._ I walked in to the Cullen house leaving my bags on the porch.

"Come in Michael, it's so good to see you." Carlisle said with a genuine smile. I smiled back. As much as I found myself disliking the Cullens Esme and Carlisle I could never bring myself to dislike. Alice raced by me and embraced Jasper. I felt something in my throat. I was why Jasper came. Alice was scared to death for him but he did that for me. _I'm sorry Jasper. _I thought to myself. Jasper reached out to my touching me on the shoulder feeling my emotion. Alice hugged me haphazardly. I wrapped my arms around her awkwardly. She was the first hug I'd received in months. Something about the way she assumed I wanted a hug and didn't ask was comforting, even if I didn't want one. I wanted to play my song and leave. I wanted Jasper's help too, which is specifically why I wanted to play here.

"Jasper, do you have a music room?" I asked. He smiled and nodded, apparently it wasn't an odd request.

"Yes, right over this way."

"What do you have in mind?" Embry asked. I stopped short and beckoned Adrian to follow us. He was standing outside awkwardly. He followed us in to the room.

"He play something?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, Bass." Adrian answered.

"Ahh... okay."

"So what are we playing?" Jasper asked as he closed the door behind Adrian. _In life we fall and fail. But life isn't judged by our failures, it's judged by how we live and learn._

"Live and Learn, Crush 40." I called. Embry snicked. As he pulled on an electric guitar.

"Do you think you can keep up Embry?" I said taunting him.

"Can you?" He countered. I sat behind the drum set hitting everything a couple of times to get a feel for it.

"Any time you're ready Jasper." he nodded and started the song with groan of his electric guitar.

"Can you feel life  
Moving through your mind?  
Ooooooooh,  
Looks like it came back for more  
Yeah...  
Can you feel time  
Slippin' down your spine?  
Ooooooooh,  
You try and try to ignore  
Yeah,

But you can hardly swallow  
Your fears and pain  
When you can't help but follow  
It puts you right back where you came

Live and learn!  
Hanging on to the edge of tomorrow  
Live and learn!  
From the works of yesterday  
Live and learn!  
If you beg or if you borrow  
Live and learn!  
You may never find your way

WHAAAAAOOOHHH, oh, oh, yeah.

Can you feel life  
Tangle you up inside?  
Yeah,  
Now you're face down on the floor!  
Oh,

But you can't save your sorrow  
You've paid in trade  
When you can't help but follow!  
It puts you right back where you came

Live and learn!  
Hanging on the edge of tomorrow  
Live and learn!  
From the works of yesterday  
Live and learn!  
If you beg or if you borrow  
Live and learn!  
You may never find your way

Whoa, whoa, oh yeah!

There's a face searchin' far, so far and wide.  
There's a place where you dreamed you'd never find.  
Hold on to what if!

Live and learn!  
Hanging on the edge of tomorrow  
Live and learn!  
From the works of yesterday  
Live and learn!  
If you beg or if you borrow  
Live and learn!  
You may never find your way

Live and learn!  
Hanging on the edge of tomorrow  
Live and learn!  
From the works of yesterday  
Live and learn!  
If you beg or if you borrow  
Live and learn!  
You may never find your way!

Live and learn!  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah  
Live and learn!  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah." I stood up from behind the drum set. I turned my attention to Jasper.

"It was nice to see you, thank you for bringing me back, but now I have somewhere I must be." I said. Jasper frowned.

"So soon?" He asked. The door opened and Tanya came in the room.

"Yes, it looks like it's time for me to leave." I said passing by Tanya.

"Mike." she said not quite touching me.

"I'm sorry Tanya... I just can't. Not now." I said passing her.

"Where are you going." I made a noise.

"How about you find me?" I said as a challenge.

**And so starts the story "Live and Learn" this story is going to be a lot of work for me and a good warm up since it will have about six major POVs I hope you all enjoy the show. Thanks for reading and reviewing, remember to leave high fives, knucks, comments, questions, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and concerns in the review section. Catch you on the flipside, Fireproof**


	2. First night in Fargo

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer because today isn't Stephenie Meyer's birthday... I think**

**Disclaimer Deuce: So yeah, Happy Birthday...**

**Mike's POV**

"Alice, What do you mean Vampire movement in North Dakota?"

"I mean what I said, they're moving through North Dakota, they're going through Fargo."

"Do you have any idea when or how?"

"No! It's kinda hard to keep watch over all vampires in the midwest." she said sounding frustrated.

"I'm sorry Alice."

"It's just very difficult." she said.

"Thank you Alice."

"Yeah yeah, Jasper will be out there in a couple days but not soon enough to help you stop them."

"How many?" I asked.

"Five, new borns."

"Five is a rather large group isn't it?" I asked.

"Yes it is... it worries me... please be careful Mike."

"I will. Take care Alice."

"You too Mike."

"**Ironman" Jack Elzam's POV**

"And you scoped out the area, this is the most remote place to take the five vampires down?" I asked "Red."

"Yes. Lowest population of people. There shouldn't be anyone within a mile radius." Psycho answered.

"That's a bit higher than our usual operations determinants but it will have to do."  
"Wait... What's that?" I called pointed at the scanners. Two men was standing in the field. Right were we were going to attack the vampires.

"Hows sound coming?" I asked "Psycho"

"We'll have it in five seconds." he said. I watched as one said something to the other then one moving unnaturally fast.

"Vampires." Red said next to me.

**Mike's POV**

"Five inbound, just like Alice said." Adrian said next to me."

"Yes. But something isn't right here... I don't like it."

"We're going to slaughter our brothers and something doesn't feel right?" Adrian questioned. He didn't like my plan but I'd heard Bella's story... mercy to vampires was simply asking to be punished.

"They can walk away if they want, but they have to make that decision, immediately."

"We might as well not even talk, they are newborns, stupid... reckless... why are they traveling together? Why are they even newborns?" Adrian answered.

"I don't know... maybe that's whats bugging me about this." It was a brisk august night. I wore a navy hooded sweatshirt hood up with black leather gloves, black jeans, black socks and nondescript black shoes. I didn't want to be found. My long brown hair was tucked in to the back of my shirt and I kept the hood far enough in front of my face to cover most of my facial hair. In fact the only piece that really gave me away was the long sheathed blade I carried in my left hand. It could Identify me to a large number of Vampires but it was necessary. I could easily kill five newborns but without my "Sohi" I would be forced to make a scene. And that was the rule I couldn't break.

The five vampires approached. They didn't move dignified. They traveled as they were. Running like animals. They didn't know we were waiting for them.

"Adrian. I still don't feel right about this. Scout out ten miles behind them, make sure none of them veered off or that there aren't more of them." Adrian nodded and left quickly. He didn't want to slaughter "innocent" vampires.

I could understand where he came from... I really could but it didn't matter. James lived in Fargo and if these Vampires knew I didn't want them here they'd find out why. Then they'd hunt James down just to get at me. No... I wouldn't run that risk.

"I'm sorry my five visitors but Fargo is not to be... drank from." I said leaving subtly behind. The one on the far right laughed.

"You should have kept your friend here... Maybe we'll take you for a taste." I felt the wind pick up and blow in their direction.

"Ahhh another Vampire." The middle one said smiling.

"We didn't know we were among friends, we've traveled a very long time, we were looking forward to the tastes of Fargo." the middle one persisted.

"Like I said, Fargo is off limits, as is Minnesota."

"And one vampire is going to stop five new borns?" The one on the end laughed again.

"I gave you your chance to leave." I said unsheathing my weapon. The middle one looked down at it and his eyes widened.

"Th-tha-that sword..." he said looking at my sword.

"Th-th-the ring." he said noticing the ring on my hand.

"You are Temper from the Volturi." he said stepping back behind the other four who didn't understand their leaders fear.

"I beg your pardon Temper, we meant no harm, we'll go back to where we came." he said nearly begging.

"Fuck no we won't." the obnoxious one yelled.

"I'm sorry but leaving isn't an option." I ran my right finger down the edge of the blade making it glow with power.

"You should not have come." I said in final judgment. I relaxed and my body started to glow blue.

I charged at the group the obnoxious one was the first to step up I cut vertically through him cutting from his midsection to through the top of his skull. I sidestepped a charging vampire and with a smooth cut decapitated a second vampire. The next one I slashed from shoulder to bottom of ribs on the opposite side. I stomped through his head as fourth one caught my weapon slicing through his head above his ears.

The leader was running. I cleared the distance between us and stabbed through his shoulder in to his heart and out of his chest.

"P-p-please... Temper... I won't be trouble."

"I'm sorry but that's a risk I'm not willing to take." I said before lifting my hand and disintegrating his head.

I couldn't shake the feeling I had. Something was wrong... then I heard it. Footsteps. I honed in on it. A heartbeat too. I turned and saw him. I couldn't make very much out of him but I knew exactly who he was walking towards me with a Katana drawn.

"Very well done Temper." He said. I shook my head as I sheathed my Katana and attatched it to my back.

"**Ironman" Jack Elzam's POV**

"That energy blast... what was that?" I asked afraid of the answer. For the last two years I hadn't seen one but I knew exactly whose it was.

"I don't know." Hawkeye answered next to me. We watched as he cleaned his blade.

"That's Temper." Shinobi said before climbing out of the vehicle. I turned to see him but he was gone, and so was the prototype energy shield. _Temper. _The Vampire who traveled to Japan and learned from Guy's father. Guy hated him. He endangered his father, and knew exactly where he was. Guy moved with purpose towards Temper.

"You know exactly who that is." Red said next to me. He had facial hair. It didn't make sense, Vampire's hair stopped growing when they turned... but no one else had ever shown that kind of power. Guy had to make the same assessment but he still was walking to his death. Havik warned us about him years ago, but remembering what he could do I knew we still weren't ready to deal with him. _Michael Iverson._

"Psycho, Tiny get in the Zealots, NOW!" I yelled.

"Get in a sniper perch." I said to Hawkeye as he grabbed the new sniper rifle custom made by Lincoln Krane. I grabbed two pistols and made my way to the exit.

"What about me?" Williams asked.

"Your expertise isn't good here, find out why the hell after two years Iverson is back, and why in Fargo."

"I can help!" she pressed.

"Damn it Red, look at it. None of us stand an even remote fucking chance in hell against him with close combat weapons, did you see what he did to those vampires without even breaking a sweat?"

"And you think you stand a chance against him?" She asked incredulously.

"Nope, but a much better one than you, We just need to buy time until the Zealots start up." over the comm I heard a crack sound followed by a calm voice.

"I'm in position, permission to fire." Hawkeye called.

"Permission granted, wait until Shinobi is clear."

**Mike's POV**

"I don't want to fight you Guy." I said in a neutral tone.

"You can't live. You know where my family is."

"I mean your family no harm." I answered.

"You're not afraid of me this time." Guy commented.

"Yes, and you should turn and walk away, I don't want to kill you."

"But those ones could die?" he said pointing to the smoldering pile of corpses.

"Yes, they endanger human lives."

"You endanger human lives." Guy countered. I shook my head.

"No I don't." I responded calmly. Guy didn't respond calmly. He charged at me. I unsheathed my weapon and blocked away his strike and pushed away his attack with both hands.

"Attacking an unarmed man in dishonorable." I stated.

"You're never disarmed." He yelled slashing at me from shoulder to hip. I blocked him again with both hands using technique taught to me by his father. I would wait for him to make a mistake in form and take advantage, not before, I wouldn't use my vampire strength and speed to overtake him.

He pressed his attack, striking from the left, I pushed his attack away. Every time I tried to take advantage of an opening he used it to his advantage pressing my defenses. He truly was the best student of his father. Even in his rage he was practiced and precise, he never lost patience. He was waiting for me to make a mistake as well.

He was moving in for a strike and I heard a gun blast from a distance. I opened myself up to sixth sense and felt the bullet coming in for me. I reached back with my weapon in my right hand and split the bullet in half behind my back. I watched as Guy took advantage of my momentary distraction and continued his slash aimed. _They cheated, so will I. _

I reached out with my left hand and caught his katana between my thumb and fingers before it could cut my hand. Guy redoubled his efforts but I held his blade at the end with my hand and tossed him over my shoulder by it. Guy charged again. I blocked away his blade with my arm keeping the cutting edge away from my body and slashed at his torso for the first time. My attack connected but didn't draw blood, it shredded easily through his clothing but stopped before his skin. He tried to strike again but I spun him to put him between the sniper and myself before squeezing his wrist hard enough that I heard a pop and he dropped his weapon. I ripped through his ragged clothing to see a vest with machine on the front. I placed my empty hand on it a blasted it with an energy blast frying it. I growled as I wrapped my fingers around his neck and brought his body down to my knee striking him hard enough to knock the wind out of him. He coughed.

Another bullet from the sniper rifle shot at me. I easily split it in half before charging at the sniper. He stood up and concealed his left hand I closed the distance between us. He struck with his left, I caught the wrist and squeezed until the combat knife released from his hand. I caught it and slipped slipped it in to my pocket. I slammed my forehead in to his and sliced clean through the barrel of his gun, then though weapon three more times. He got out of my grip and rolled away.

I heard a sound of running to my left. I turned as I heard gun blasts. I charged at the sound and blocked the bullets away with the side of my katana. The man was sprinting at me shooting two pistols at once, every shot would have hit my body. I jumped over him and he rolled shooting at me as I sailed through the air. I blocked away the bullets one after another. I landed softly on my feet as he reloaded one gun. I used the opening to close the distance between us again, then sliced this fully reloaded gun in half with my Katana. He stumbled backwards tripping. _He tripped? That seems... odd_. I thought as he regripped his single gun in both hands as his body dropped to the ground. _That should be the empty one._ I saw what he was doing but it was too late. He shot I moved as fast as I could but the bullet still grazed my ribs on the way out. I wrapped my empty hand around the barrel of the gun as he shot three more times I moved the barrel each time away from me. I lifted him by the gun and slammed in back on to the ground, he released it with his right hand but his left still held on, I pulled on him then snap kicked the inside of his forearm forcing him to let go. I put the gun in my opposite pocket and tried to ignore the pain in my side.

I heard a mechanical sound, like air being blown. I turned and saw two giant behemoth of machines. They needed to be nearly fifteen feet tall. The blonde I just disarmed laughed on the ground and coughed still not gaining his breath from me power bombing him. I snap kicked him in the face silencing him. I started to walk towards the two giant mechanical monsters.

The larger of the two lifted his left hand and a chain gun started spinning around the wrist.

"**Psycho" Nate Schmidt's POV**

"Wait till Ironman is clear." I called over the intercom.

"Negative Iverson is using Ironman as cover." Red said dripping with contempt.

"He isn't he's putting distance between him and Ironman."

"Ironman is down, orders Red?" I called.

"Kill him, he's too dangerous to let live."  
"Are you sure Lieutenant?"

"Don't question my orders, kill him." she nearly screamed. _Why is she the second in command? __She's not anything like Elzam, he's calm and in control always._ But orders were orders. Tiny lifted his arm and produced the chain gun out of his arm. I lifted my left arm to right activating my machine gun connection with both arms. Temper wasn't moving. He just sheathed his sword and dust swished around him. He opened his hands and he was covered in a cloud of dust, but it was circular, like it surrounded only him on purpose. We fired, blasting the cloud of dust with a barrage of bullets. I turned my lights bright against the cloud to check if he left the could of dust. I emptied my two hundred round clip and tiny ran his chain gun empty as well. The dust cloud slowly dissipated.

There. Standing untouched in a ball of pure energy was Iverson. His hand outstretched facing Tiny, as if asking him to stop. The energy surrounding him disappeared in a flash and the wind died. Silence, as if the air was taken out of the entire whole mile. The hum of our Zealots was the only sound, it was deafening compared to the screams of the weaponry fired. _Weaponry... where's the bullets _I examined the area around Iverson but there wasn't one bullet anywhere in front of him, behind him, or in him.

His face was painted calm. He slowly dropped his hand that seemed to give us a warning to stop. He closed his eyes In the calm I could see his chest raise and lower with breath. We were supposed to kill him but he had just done something with his powers and our entire clips didn't even touch him. We were ordered to kill him but we stopped short, if that didn't kill him what would.

I didn't recognize it. The feeling was so foreign to me. It was impossible. No one was that fast, that powerful. He didn't even try to avoid the blasts, he didn't deflect all of them with his sword... no... it was impossible. The feeling nagged at me and told me it was all true. He did all those things, and it was what was driving me to this sick sensation. Fear.

I pushed down my fear. _No one is immortal. _His eyes opened.

"My turn." he said quietly. He unsheathed his blade and held it in front of his face before running his fingers over it. As his fingers passed the blade it glowed. His free hand lifted and he pointed at Tiny's Zealot small blasts flew out of his finger then he aimed at me and fired. We had no time to react and at first I didn't know what he did... then all I could see was his weapon. He destroyed our lights.

I saw his face only because he held his blade near his face before charging Tiny. Tiny stepped backward grabbing his giant knife because his weapons were empty. He took a clumsy sweep at the glowing blade but he wasn't even close to the blade, much less Iverson. The glowing blade cut through the Zealot's blade wielding arm easily.

I willed my Zealot to moving towards him but I couldn't open fire for fear of killing Tiny. I loaded my gun as I charged.

Iverson's blade dug in to the front of the zealot's frame and cut up from bottom to top. He reached in and grabbed Tiny by the collar and ripped him out of the Zealot tossing him behind him. The blade lifted higher in to the air then an energy blast engulfed the entire Zealot illuminating the pitch black night. Once the light faded I realized there was nothing left of the Zealot. Not even ashes... just burnt grass. I raised my gun to him He threw his weapon at me I attempted to block it but the Zealot was too bulky The weapon lodged in to my right arm. I tried to fire but my arm wasn't working. I couldn't see a thing. _Where the fuck is he!_

Then I saw him. He was right on the front of my Zealot staring in at my eyes. I felt fear rip through me. He pulled his sword out of my Zealot's arm and cut the front of the Zealot off and grabbed my by the front of my shirt. He casually threw me behind him then blew up my Zealot just like Tiny's. He sheathed his weapon and disappeared in to the darkness.

"Is everyone okay?" I heard Red's voice.

"Yes..." Ironman responded. I ran over to Tiny who was standing over the only piece of either of our Zealots left, his mech's arm.

"How hot do you think you'd need burn to cut through steel like that, that easily..." Tiny said.

"I don't know... at least five thousand degrees..."

"**Red" Lisa William's POV**

"I know why Iverson is here." I said turning to face Commander Elzam. His face had a large red bruise on the side. It distracted me for a second. He noticed.

"Why is he here?"

"His younger brother is here."

"I thought his younger brother was in High school." the commander said reciting old facts.

"He's starting his freshmen year of college at NDSU, he's an Mechanical Engineering major.

"Interesting." the commander said.

"What's interesting?"

"I've got a plan."

**Dracula's POV**

** "My great grandson seems to be finally attempting to take the world."**

"It's not a farfetched idea if he was the oldest supernatural being sire." But he wasn't. He couldn't know that I still existed, he would have thought I dead as everyone else did. I grew tired of slaughtering upstart vampire after upstart vampire, the politics, I just wanted to be left alone and with those Volturi running the show, I was.

**"He is a fool."**

"And now that that wolf... Call I think his name was, killed the king of Lycans you are the only first generation supernatural." I laughed.

"Sire?" he asked wondering. I snickered at the idea.

**"You think King Lycan let himself die to some shifter? Just because no one could kill him before doesn't mean death will take him."**

"I beg your pardon Sire?"

**"It's not important."**

"Of course, Sire." he said bowing his head.

**"What do you think of this Iverson?" **

"I live only to serve you, I wouldn't impose my opinion on you."

**"I asked for it." **I repeated frustrated. Sometimes it was annoying having a servant for my only companion.

"He's nothing, he's a vampire of uninspired generation."

**"You would judge all vampire's value by their vintage?" **I asked.

"Of course, you and King Lycan are the only first Generations, Alucard and Lycan Kings son were the only second generations, Alucard's son was the only third Generation.." he said trailing off.

**"You forgot yourself."**

"Sire, I am nothing but a servant."

**"And the only Vampire I ever turned. You are a second generation."**

"Of course Sire."

** "And my great grandson is the first generation half mortal."**

"Yes Sire, and all other vampires are little more than nuisances."

**"Yes... I used to believe that too but there have been many great nuisances."**

"Whom, if I may be so bold to ask Sire."

**"Felix. He was the first who intrigued me. Enough to spare his life, but this one... Iverson... he may also play a large role in the future."**

"Of course, Sire."

**"I want you to go to him, test him, report back to me."**

"Of course."

**"I think you'll find him to be of a greater stock."**

"Of course Lord Dracula."

**"Go Andrei, test young Iverson."**

**So yeah, today is my birthday, and I've finished a chapter to post to you. So happy my birthday to you? Thanks for the support, this book is going to jump around a lot so you might not see certain characters one chapter then their stories will happen the next one, for instance, Embry's Chapter is next chapter and I think Mike won't be in the next chapter. Don't know yet. And don't get used to these really long chapters, I think this is twice the normal chapter length I do but I couldn't get everything in I wanted in a different way and I didn't want to split it up. So remember to give high fives, knucks, reviews, and rolls of twenty dollar bills, Catch you on the flipside.**


	3. Against my will

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer I ain't.**

**Disclaimer Deuce: and so starts a new saga... hope you like the Lisa and James story line  
**

"**Red" Lisa William's POV**

"I don't like it Jack." I said in to my cell phone. He made it clear that we needed to blend in. Our conversations and everything.

"You're here to protect the kid." He said.

"Is that it?"

"You know it isn't."

"Fine, I'll just bat my eyelashes and get this over with." I said growling. At least I was near the wellness center. I could work out whenever I wasn't trying to pass first year mechanical engineering classes.

"What do we know about him?" I asked over the phone as I walked over to the softball field. Trumpet section was playing softball. It would give me a good chance to see him first.

"He plays trumpet, he was the brass captain in his marching band for two years, he's in to Star Wars, he enjoys reading books, playing video games, and tabletop games."

"Did he play any sports in high school?" I asked.

"Nope, just marching band, 4.0 in high school."

"So I'm dealing with a nerd huh?" I asked. The next kid went up to bat. He was about 6'2, he wasn't skinny but he wasn't big either, his chest and shoulders were a bit bigger than his waist.

"Can you give me details about his looks?" I asked as the pitched threw the ball. The kid connected with it solidly. The ball cleared the outfield and landed over the fence. The guy smirked and jogged around the bases. Once he got home he got high fives and laughed.

"That'll teach you to pick me last."

"James Iverson had brown hair, brown eyes and a goatee." I looked down at the guy still getting high fives. _Not bad for a nerd. So you're James Iverson._

"I thought you didn't play sports." James shrugged.

"We used to play softball every Friday night with friends." he said as he stepped back. _At least __ I've got an in now._

"Lisa we need you to get close to him."

"Don't worry I've got it."

**Zuri's POV**

I watched from a distance. But it tore my heart out. Raven was an outcast. All the older boys were vicious. Their parents smiled along and acted like nothing was wrong. It's because they all agreed. The elder council had disagreed vehemently with the proposed plan of using Themba as an experiment but not for her protection. No they disapproved it because they were too full of pride. It was that or the Volturi would take Themba. They wanted Themba either way, and this way everyone got what they wanted. We got our heir to the pride and they got their time to watch and observe us. Those bigots. They all thought the idea of breeding one of ours with an "outsider" anything besides a lion would create a inferior shifter... an abomination. The council members weren't silent either in their protest. Granted none of them would outright insult Raven in front of us but they would say comments about spoiled blood.

But that was Raven. He was still a full shifter, and they had a much better target to aim their hate at... my angel Mystearica. They might have disapproved of Raven, but they abhorred Mystearica. The council didn't even try to mask their contempt. I stopped going to council meetings when I realized a portion of every meeting would be bitching about how we're trusting our future to a halfbreed and the enemy.

_I once might have thought the same. That was before you though. Funny how a little thing like love can change everything. _I felt my breathe falter and hitch for a moment. I stopped myself. _No... __you're going to move on and be stronger. He left without me. _I knew it was a lie I was telling myself but it was easier than the truth. He would have done anything for me... but leave his best friend to be alone. And that's exactly what I asked of him.

I turned my attention to Raven playing with blocks in the corner. Our tribe grew fast. It was a defensive mechanism passed down for generations. Our ancestors were hunted down by vampires and only those who phased young survived. Our children age to shifting at the earliest age of roughly twelve years old. But not twelve years of age. After the first shift they stopped aging so their mind can catch up with their body. Themba's grandfather was the youngest shifter ever, we measured him for as a nine year old, but he shifted at the age of five. They thought it would kill him, but he turned out to be stronger than anyone else, at the ripe old age of five he took part in the hunt. The hunt was when a child became an adult in our tribe. After their first shift They would pick one weapon and go out in to the wild with it, only coming back when they taken on their spirit guide. Tradition dictated since we were Lions our spirit guides were obviously Lions, and then we'd forsake some other animal, most times people something perceived to be weak... a rabbit, or turtle. Something lower. Not the chieftain. He took a lion as his spirit beast... but he claimed a hyena as his forsaken animal.

When he returned from the hunt he was given a month to prepare and named his best friend as his second. He would challenge the chieftain to a battle, when he won he would be named the next chieftain once he reached the age of fifteen. I watched Tear play with Raven. She was older than him but she was an outcast too. They were the only children who hadn't shifted yet, so all the other kids were much bigger than them, and picked on them. Raven tried to stand up for himself but the kids weren't only twice his size but also super human. Raven still was just a boy... growing at a ridiculous rate.

Tear wasn't though. She could and did often fight off the much bigger boys. Raven didn't like it but Tear was more than capable of taking care of herself and Raven, as long as none of the older boys shifted they were no where near as strong and fast as Tear. Tear would protect Raven... be his guardian, even if he didn't know he had one yet.

**James Iverson's POV**

I opened my favorite book, "I, Jedi." by Michael A. Stackpole. I was just waiting for "Zivo" to clean up. He said he had some party he wanted to go to. It sounded a bit sketchy but I didn't know anyone else and I didn't really want to sit alone in a hall with only six people in it. Since the band moved in early no one else was here yet. I left my door open so he'd know what room I was in. I leaned back in my office chair trying to find the page I was on. I buried myself in "Corran Horn's" story and didn't look up until I heard a knock on the door.

I looked up but didn't see who I suspected it would be.

"Hello?" I asked. She smiled.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"James Iverson, Yours?" I responded.

"Lisa Williams." She answered smiling. She seemed a bit giddy.

"Should I know you? I'm bad with names." I answered.

"No... I saw you hit a home run, that was pretty good." I shrugged.

"It's no big deal, I used to play some softball back home."

"So, there's this party at 5th ave tonight, do you want to go?" she asked me. I heard steps coming down the hallway.

"Hey Zivo, is that you?" I called.

"Yeah, what's up?" he asked leaning in. He looked at Lisa surprised then gave me a look behind her back."

"Where's that party we're going to?"

"Oh, Taylor said it's at 5th ave." I nodded.

"Well you're more than welcome to come with us Lisa, if you'd like?" She frowned a bit. Then smiled.

"Oh, okay. Do you have a car?"

"No, I was going to catch a ride with Taylor." I said.

"How about I pick you up for it." she said smiling. I looked to Zivo and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sure. See you at seven?" I asked.

"Yep, it's a date!" she exclaimed and spun and walked out of the room. I waited until I couldn't hear her footsteps anymore.

"Damn James, you got game." Zivo said. I laughed.

"If you say so."

"I'll see you at the party." Zivo said as he walked away. _What was up with that?_

"**Red" Lisa William's POV**

_Just get him drunk and going and we'll be good, This nerd has probably never had a girl before and this should just be easy. _I put lipstick on and a revealing green tank top along with skinny jeans. _By the end of the night I'll have him begging to be mine. _I was given a red Mazda 6 for the job. I checked myself to make sure I looked good. _Poor guy doesn't stand a chance. _I thought as I climbed out of my car. I got to his dorm room and knocked.

He looked better than I expected, his hair was cleaned up and he was wearing a black hawk button down shirt open with a gray shirt under it.

"You clean up well, nice shirt." he blushed slightly.

"Yeah, my sister gave it to me for Christmas." He closed the door behind him. And walked with me to the car. I could smell his cologne from next to him. I bumped in to him to get him to get closer to me but every time he took another step away. He wasn't walking far away from me by any means, but not close enough for physical contact. I realized we hadn't talked at all as I climbed in to the car.

"So where are you from Lisa?" he asked.

"I'm from Ohio, came up here for Mechanical Engineering." I said reciting my cover story.

"Oh really? So am I." He commented.

"Why are you here early?" he asked. I bit my lip. I didn't have a good answer.

"I thought classes started earlier than they did and since I traveled all this way they let me move in early. I lied smoothly.

"What about you? Siblings?" I asked. He seemed uncomfortable with the question but he hid it quickly. If I wasn't looking for it I wouldn't have found it.

"My oldest brother and sister live in the cities, I also have a brother who lives in Eau Claire." he said. _Didn't mention Mike... interesting._

"What are your hobbies?" He asked. I pulled up to the house. _Oh good... how do I explain hand to hand combat, and melee weapons as hobbies..._

"Oh look. We're here." I said as I plastered on a smile and got out of the car. James did as well and walked next to me to the house.

We walked in and James looked over the room assessing it, much like I did, but I hid it better. His eyes stopped at his friend Zivo and a guy who was stocky and muscular.

"Sup guys." James said walking towards them with me.

"So this is the girl." The big guy said.

"Yep." Zivo said.

"And you say she threw herself at James here?" he said before drinking more out of his green solo cup.

"Shut up man, you weren't supposed to say that." Zivo said. The big guy laughed.

"Right, you heard nothing." I hid my face feigning blushing.

"I'm sorry, Lisa, this is Taylor and you've met Zivo, Taylor, Zivo, this is Lisa." James said introducing us.

"Nice to meet you... now James, you go get shitfaced." Taylor said. James smirked. I grabbed two green solo cups and handed one to James. He shook his head.

"No thanks." he said. _Damn it, drink some fucking alcohol._

"What, too good to drink with me?" I asked hoping to tip him over. He shrugged.

"No, I just don't want my first alcohol experience to be around people I don't know." he said. _Wow, that's pretty smart... but doesn't help me much... I guess I'll need to play this differently. _I made my way to the keg and started filling up my cup, I stopped at half full and pretended to drink it down to half full. I made my way to James.

"Are you sure I can't convince you differently?" I said trying to give him my best pouting look. He smiled.

"Quite sure." _Fucking momma's boy. _I thought as I drank some of my beer. As the night went on James made his way to a couch and sat down and talked with a couple of people. _What the fuck's a girl gotta do to get a little attention? _I started to stumble theatrically. A drunk guy caught me. I looked over to James out of the corner. He was watching. _Well if nothing else will work maybe some jealousy will. _I grabbed him by the back of the head and lip locked the drunk. I pulled away and heard cheering from the guy's friends. I stumbled back to the keg faking drunkenness and turned back to James. He seemed disinterested when his eyes met mine and he turned back to his friends on the couch.

I filled my cup half way and pretended to drink the top half again and sighed. _What's it going to take for this damn guy to make a move?_ I thought as I stared down at my half full drink.

"Hey there sexy girl... you want to go upstairs?" I heard a voice ask. I turned and saw the piss drunk guy I kissed.

"No." I said calmly I tried to pull away but not too forcefully. I was supposed to be drunk after all. He didn't let go of my wrist. I could easily break his wrist five different ways but I was supposed to be drunk and not that good at self defense. I looked back to the couch but James wasn't there.

"The woman said no." I heard James deep voice to my left. With a quick motion James pushed the inside of the drunks wrist and he let go. James stepped between us and gently took my arm and started leading me away. I felt a hard jerk as James stopped. I looked over and saw that the drunk grabbed James wrist.

"She's mine asshole." James looked down at his hand and pulled away again but the drunk didn't let go. He shook his head quickly twisted his wrist and had the drunk bent over backwards in pain. Then he kicked out his inside leg and pushed him to the ground. I looked past James but not fast enough to stop someone from punching James. He staggered one step but turned back to his attacker. Another drunk stood up next to him.

Taylor swung a heavy hay-maker putting down the drunk that hit James and Zivo was on the other side. The third one backed away.

"Come on Lisa... it's about time we head out." James said once again grabbing my elbow, but it was gentle, unlike the first guy.

"Give me your keys." James said. It wasn't a question it was a command. James drove me back to his dorm he didn't say much, mostly checking on me. He helped me out of the car. I feigned the inability to walk so he wrapped an arm around me and helped me upstairs to his room. Once we got in the room he shut the door behind me. I leaned in and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He pushed me off him gently.

"My hero... I want you..." I said slurring my speech heavily. James smiled and guided me over to his bed. He tucked me in and walked over to the bed with no sheet, pillow or blankets and laid down. I looked at him incredulously. _What the hell does it take to bed this guy? _I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

**Raven's POV**

"Leave me alone." I said as the biggest of the boys knocked over my blocks.

"What are you going to do halfling?" he said taunting me. I ignored him and started stacking blocks again. He kicked away the blocks again leaving only the one in my hand. I stood up barely coming up to his stomach.

"What are you going to do you little halfling?" I threw the block at his eye. He growled in pain. I swung for between his legs but he caught my arm and yanked on it tossing my in to the wall where I was playing. I came back in a fury of anger jumping at him. I landed at his chest and started punching his chest and climbed up his body to strike at his face. His right hand still covered his eye but he still managed to grab me by the back of my neck and throw me across the room. I rolled and tried to get up but he was kicking me as I was laying down.

"How dare you attack me you dirty halfling. I'm a pureblood, you're just a mutt, you're a mistake, you're dirt." he said as he kept kicking I wrapped my arms around my head and curled my knees to protect my body.

"Learn your place!" he said kicking me again hard. I felt warm hands gently rub my back and help me up.

"Hey Raven are you okay?" Tear asked.

"Oh, you need a girl to protect you?"

"Do you want to get beat up by a girl?" Tear threatened. I coughed painfully as I got to my feet. I tried to distance myself from Tear but she got close to me again.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... just back off." I said angrily. She looked hurt. I bit my lip. _I'm sorry._

"What is it Raven?"

"Stop always protecting me! I need to stand up for myself."

"Well it looked like you were getting beat up for yourself." she said.

"Just leave me alone."

"**Red" Lisa William's POV**

_What the hell is wrong with this kid? _I thought as I positioned myself to my covers and clothing exposed my back. James got up and readjusted my blankets to cover me then stepped out to the hallway.

I stirred in his bed and made a show of yawning. James came back in.

"Hey, sorry I didn't know where you lived so I didn't drop you off last night." James said.

"Did I do anything stupid last night?" I asked as if I didn't remember it. James looked away for a second, then back at me.

"What do you remember?" He asked.

"I remember drinking and sitting by you on the couch around 10, but nothing after that. James nodded.

"Yeah you had a couple more drinks and were getting a bit... unbalanced so I took you back here."

"I didn't do anything else?" James shook his head. _So he'll just play it off like it didn't happen._

"Well here is my phone number." I said handing him a sheet of paper. He nodded and I made my way out of his room. _I guess I just have to wait now._

**And so the story of Lisa and James starts. I really like this story because these two seem to be forced together. So last chapter covered Mike Iverson, this chapter covered Raven, Tear, James, and Williams, which means next chapter will feature Embry and the werewolves. I'd love to hear your feedback make sure to give comments, high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills in the review section. Catch you on the flipside, Fireproof**


	4. Any Given Full Moon

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer... where do I even start, still not her**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Yeah I don't know what to tell you about this chapter.**

**Embry's POV**

I smiled as I watched EJ and Ayden wrestle. I never thought I'd get this chance... never thought I'd see Ayden play... Ayden hated me, and rightly so... I did leave and didn't come back. I abandoned him, but at least I would have the time correct that problem. I sensed unease in the air. I moved from the room to the front of the house. Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle were at the door. I looked past them to a familiar face.

"I'm here to see Embry, out of my way." He growled. I growled under my breath walking past Carlisle and pushed Adam back off the front porch. He landed on his back but rolled back to his feet. Boyd and Rolf growled next to him. _His pack. _I thought to myself. It was no wonder they chose to be loyal to him and not to me, I ostracized them.

"I told you not to come here."

"Yes yes, we know your rules, don't kill humans, don't kill vampires who drink animal blood." He growled.

"I want you to stay away from my children." I said in a commanding tone. I heard a shuffle and felt Ayden stop next to me and EJ soon after. Adam eyed both of them.

"The little one... he's the pure blood shifter isn't he? The first ever?" He said with piqued interest.

"EJ is no concern of yours."

"But he is. He's the pup of our pack, under our protection, as is your other pup." He said turning to Ayden. He couldn't know that EJ hadn't shown any supernatural tendencies yet, it was fine with us. Leah and I hadn't talked much but one thing we agreed on is we didn't want EJ becoming a shifter if it was up to us.

_But it wouldn't be. Maybe we'd get lucky and he'd be a normal child living a normal life, but more likely than not that wouldn't be the case._ I looked in to Ayden's eyes. He was just a toddler and Adam was already sizing him up for the pack. It made my stomach turn. I caught Adam's eyes but he said nothing, I could feel his words.

_You can't hope the first pure wolf of all time doesn't shift._ _You're wrong Adam, I can hope. _I looked away from him.

"I came here to inform you two new werewolves were turned, we're going north to hunt a three vampire coven traveling along the Canada border."

"Two new?" I said angrily.

"Don't worry your precious rules were followed, they were both mortally wounded."

"Before or after you got to them." I countered. He snorted.

"Since you're too busy playing papa I'll do your job to teach them."

"**Red" Lisa William's POV**

"Wow Williams, three weeks and no call. You must be losing your touch." White said. He was sitting in on listening devices. We had one in his dorm room, one sewn in to his backpack, and one in his jacket. We had to do it well too so he didn't find it. Luckily we got the best in small receivers.

"Shut up Hawkeye." I said

"Boy you read him wrong." He kept pressing.

"Yeah I get it, not all guys are the same, not everyone are scumbags like you." White nodded. He didn't seem offended.

"You were stupid to assume everyone was like me. Now you're reaping the benefits of it." I heard my name come up on the listening device and motioned White to shut up.

"But seriously, what happened with that hot chick?" I recognized Taylor's voice. I heard a loud clapping noise.

"Can we get a visual?" I asked. I turned some cameras. Taylor, Zivo, and James were playing catch with a baseball outside the dorms. James shrugged.

"I don't know, I never called her." I heard White snickering.

"He really doesn't care."

"Yeah... but she was hot." Taylor said. Zivo smiled.

"He doesn't need it." Zivo said.

"Okay Zivo, let's make one thing clear... some of us don't live in the wellness center and have six packs." Taylor said. James started laughing.

"While I can't confirm it... I believe one day Zivo went to the wellness center three times."

"But there is no proof?" Zivo asked.

"No proof." James repeated.

"Hey there! No getting off topic. Why didn't you call her?" James shrugged as he threw the ball to Taylor.

"Honestly I'm not interested."

"How?" James kinda looked away.

"I don't want to just bed some random girl, that's a good way to get Syphilis." James said.

"So why not date her then?" Zivo asked.

"Because, she's not interested in that. And even if she was, less than an hour before she kissed me she was making out with some random drunk guy. That's not someone I can see myself being with."

"Oh wow, she kissed you?"

"Yep."

"What do you mean you can't see being with her."

"if I can't see myself being with her in three years, what's the point of dating her now?" James asked. _Fuck... this isn't going to be easy... and I won't like it._

I took off my headphones. I knew what I had to do... but I didn't like it. I needed to become that girl. I needed to be someone he could see himself dating for years... and I knew it would be fake. I didn't have feelings for James... he wasn't my type... but that didn't mean I wanted to hurt him... but that's exactly what I had to do.

**Adam's POV**

"Come on you two, I'm tracking some vampires in the north, time for our first hunt." I said signaling the two new werewolves.

"Hunt? We're not even werewolves yet!" the smaller of the two commented. I looked up to the sky. _Full moon. Any second now._ I thought as I heard them start screaming in pain.

"Whats that about not being werewolves?" they both were screaming in pain but the bigger of the two managed words.

"What's happening to us?" he said from his knees in pain.

"Well right now your bones are breaking and readjusting themselves in to Lycan form. Did I forget to mention the first time it hurts like a bitch?" the bigger one coughed out a laugh.

"Must have slipped your mind."

"Don't worry... eventually it'll stop hurting." Rolf and Boyd both had a laugh just happy it wasn't them this time around.

"Why aren't you turning?" the smaller one finally asked as the last of his bones started breaking in to place.

"After four or five times you start to be able to control it, that's also the time it stops hurting." I explained. I watched his face change and hair grow. He barked at me.

"Oh yeah, and you'll never be able to speak as a werewolf, that's only for leaders. You can speak to us... but no one else will understand you."

**James Iverson's POV**

I basically moved in to Zivo's room. His roommate dropped out of college and I hated mine. I left most my valuable stuff in his room because I trusted him a lot more than my roommate, mostly I kept clothing in my room. I leaned back against my pillow. How my life had changed. I felt a little guilty. Sometimes I went days without thinking about Mike. _Mike... where are you? _I asked. I couldn't say how, but I knew he was still alive. Maybe it was just foolish hope. I stared at the ceiling for a while. I heard a knock on the door. Zivo answered the door. I didn't even look, I knew it was a female, which didn't surprise me he was very popular with the ladies.

"It's for you." Zivo called. I looked down. _Lisa Williams._

"Not interested." I called.

"Wow you don't need to be an asshole." Williams said.

"And yet, I am." I said. She stormed off in a huff.

"That was kind of harsh."

"Let me give you a rundown of what happened last time I went out with her. She asked me out on a date, she picked me up, she got shitfaced, she made out with another guy, she got me punched in the face protecting her, she made out with me less than an hour after making out with someone else, I should probably check for herpes."

"I know man but that was cold." Zivo said.

"Yeah, guess I'm just an asshole."

**Adam's POV**

We raced, Boyd, Rolf and I in human form and the new werewolves. They would get stronger as more full moons passed and they mastered their powers. Five vampires. I could smell them. I ran on all fours leading the pack. _My Pack. He might be the alpha, but he's not a werewolf. He's not one of us._

I came upon a clearing and I saw it. One vampire beheading another while a third held him down. He was welding a broadsword. All the vampires had weapons, real weapons. But he cut the head off of a vampire with it. _Vampire bone weapons? No, there's no way weapons that intricate exist_

They turned to face us, the one with the large broad sword seemed to be their leader.

"What do we have here?" he said smiling.

"A challenge?" the one with black hair and two swords in either hand asked.

"These aren't vampires, they're not our perogative." the biggest said.

"Can it Bors, the five vampires weren't even fun we've never killed werewolves." I assessed their weapons. _Four adults, and a child, all armed with weapons capable of killing us, Boyd, Rolf and I could probably take them, but the two new werewolves could be a problem._

As if on cue the two snapped.

"Stay back." I commanded. The leader snickered.

"Are you sure you want to fight werewolves during a full moon?" I asked trying to scare him. Truthfully it made me all but immortal, but Boyd and Rolf were still able to be killed. Though much stronger than normal. Even with their weapons we were werewolves, hunters of vampires, and it was the full moon, we should easily over power them but something about gave me pause. I'd learned to trust my instincts. My eyes grazed over to the child. They stopped. One of his eyes was closed. _Why?_

His open eye told me everything I needed to know. Cold, calculating. It was no incident that he was with them. He held a sword that looked far too big for him, but in an adult's hand it would be a bastard sword. The other two, the one they called Bors had guantlets with sharp edges on the knuckles and the other with long brown hair covering one of his eyes. He had two small hand axes.

"I agree with Bors, we don't need to kill them and we don't have enough information." the child said.

"Galahad, where is your sense of adventure?" the leader snarled. The two new werewolves snarled chomping at the bit. Werewolves were Vampire's natural enemy, all of my instincts told me to murder them all, but I'd had time to learn restraint, a restraint these new werewolves didn't have time to learn.

"What do you think Gawain?" he assessed us.

"I think we run a risk by letting them leave knowing we exist. It'd be better to tie up loose ends." the leader smiled.

"And I agree. It's decided." the two werewolves charged.

"Galahad, Lancelot." the leader called. The man wielding two swords and the boy leaped forward. The boy sailed through the air sliced straight through the neck of one of the new werewolves effortlessly and Lancelot cut off both the other's arms before making a scissors and cutting through his his neck.

I gave a howl out for help from Embry before shifting. _Here's hoping we can hold out until he gets here._

**Embry's POV**

_"Come on, run like you mean it." Ayden called at me. _He was strong and fast as a wolf, he could spit fire if he needed to as well as turn ground to ice around him. When he was a teenager he would be twice the wolf I was when I first shifted. _But he's neither the alpha nor the king of werewolves. _I stretched out and sprinted as fast as I could leaving my son in the dust. I stopped and turned around waiting for Ayden. He finally caught up and had a grin on his face.

_"So that's what I need to beat... okay."_ I heard a howl. I turned my head in the direction. _Help. Embry. _It was Adam. It had to be, no one else could call to me like that, no one but my own pack, Jacob had long since left my pack. I didn't believe I still had a pack other than Ayden... but here I was being called to.

_"Ayden, go home, I've got something I have to take care of." _I told him.

_"No, Adam needs help." _So he recognized it was Adam as well... I turned and ran as hard as I dared towards the noise. I knew I couldn't exhaust myself before battle. To my chagrin Ayden followed behind me.

_"Go Home." _I commanded. It didn't work. _It couldn't be that he's part vampire, could it? Maybe. Maybe not._

I pushed on forward to the area the howling came from. I pawed in to the opening just in time to see Adam cut in half at the hip and both halves fall to the ground. The man turned around. There were five of them. Boyd and Rolf were both beaten and bruised but both still alive. I shifted back to my human form and I felt it start overwhelming me.

"Who are you?" the one who cut through Adam with a broadsword asked. It was an irresistible force. I needed to protect my pack. _Yes, my pack. _It didn't matter that I was out numbered and they had weapons. It was my base instincts taking over.

**"You hurt my pack."** I growled in a voice a didn't recognize. I roared and let a howl of pain out.

**"Damn it Adam, get up already!" **I grumbled as pain started spreading through my body. Adan got up.

"Damn it Embry, You messed up my big entrance... oh.. my..." He said trailing off.

**"What the hell is happening to me?" **I asked as I felt my bones cracking and breaking.

"It's impossible... you were never turned... King Lycan must have..." he said not completing his sentence.

"What the hell is this?" the leader of the vampires asked. I screamed in pain and felt it all stop. I looked down at my body, I didn't recognize it at first, claws... hair... _I'm a werewolf._

**"King Lycan gave me this?" **I asked. Adam nodded. I flexed my fingers. Strong... stronger than I'd ever felt... no... maybe just as strong when I half shifted... but now I was in control. I heard leaves rustling behind me. Then I heard the sound of someone coming out of a shift.

"Dad? Dad... is that you?" I turned back to face Ayden. His features turned scared for a moment then softened. His eyes scanned past me and stopped dead.

"He's... one of us." He said pointing at the boy. The boy seemed taken back. But I understood what he meant. Half mortal... the boy was a half mortal. His stare stopped.

**"Adam! Get Boyd, Rolf, and my son out of here." **I commanded. He nodded and grabbed Rolf and Boyd under his arm.

"Shift, Boy. I need you to carry Rolf." he commanded at my son. The leader of the group started moving towards Adam.

**"I'm plenty enough for you to deal with."** I growled. The leader seemed amused at best.

"Lancelot, Gawain, get him, so we can chase down those wounded and finish them off." I swiped at both of them but they both jumped over my arms driving their weapons in to me. I stifled a howl of pain. _They must keep running. _Their weapons were stuck. Gawain managed to pull his hatchet's out of my shoulder but both of Lancelot's swords were deep in to my stomach. Before he could pull them out I grabbed them around the throats digging my claws in to the back of their necks and their nervous system before chucking them as hard as I could at trees.

"You will pay for that!" the leader yelled charging. I swept at him he didn't dodge, he sliced off my right arm at the elbow. He stabbed his sword straight in to my heart. I felt pain, but not the end. _Why am I not dead? _He had the same question as he tried to pull the sword out. I pulled the sword in deeper and clawed at him slashing at his midsection. He rolled away grasping his body in pain. I flexed my right arm and it grew back in an instant. I moved my claws and laughed darkly.

The biggest on and the child charged at me. _No... I've not descended in to murdering children. _I thought grabbing my disconnected arm and launched it at the boy. The impact pinned him to a tree with the claws of my arm. The largest one was charging. I tucked my claws and caught the big vampire with my knuckles across his entire face. I growled. _This full moon won't last forever. I need to get out of here before it changes back and I've got a sword through my heart. _I turned to run but felt something pierce my shoulder. I turn back to see who threw it.

_The boy... fucking boy._

I turned and ran.

"**Red" Lisa Williams POV**

"Ouch. Shot down again." Hawkeye commented.

"Shut up White... I'll get him."

**Leah's POV**

I ran in to the kitchen without knocking. I heard howling in the distance. I searched frantically for EJ.

"EJ? EJ where are you hun?" I said looking everywhere. Rosalie walked down the stairs with my baby.

"Oh thank heavens you're alright." I said hugging and kissing my baby.

"Mommy... I'm fine." he said pushing me away.

"Leah what's wrong?"

"Nothing... I guess I just was hearing things." I stopped short. I didn't see Ayden or Embry.

"Where is Ayden and Embry?" I asked slightly worried.

"Oh Embry took him for a run a couple hours ago." Rosalie read the look on my face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I hope nothing." Rosalie stopped what she was doing and it looked like she was trying to hear something.

"Someone is coming. Two sets of four legs." I felt relief and I ran out the door. Those were war howls I heard, there was no mistaking them. At the tree line in to the woods I saw two figures coming towards us with something on their backs. As they got closer I saw one was Ayden in wolf form. He had someone on his back and the other one looked like a small werewolf with someone else on their back.

"Guys... come out here." I called in. All the Cullens appeared next to us.

"Who are you." Carlisle said shortly at the werewolf.

"I'm Embry's Beta." he responded in werewolf form standing up and setting down the large figure. He pulled on some pants and turned back in to a human form. He grabbed the thinner figure off Ayden's Back before Ayden shifted back.

"I gotta go back for daddy!" Ayden said as soon as he was in human form. The werewolf grabbed Ayden's wrist forcefully. Rosalie launched herself at the werewolf. The werewolf caught her arm then kicked her back away.

"Embry commanded me to get you out of there, and I have no intention of disobeying that command."

"I'm going back for him." I stated.

"It's not safe."

"I'm the fastest wolf, I can get in and out before getting caught, besides the Cullens can protect us if we get back here." the werewolf shook his head.

"Those weren't normal vampires... they were armed with weapons, they were stronger, faster than normal vampires... if you see them you need to run far away." He told me.  
"I don't understand how you're so strong as a human, you're not a normal werewolf." Carlisle asked.

"No... I'm the Lycan King's son, Adam." I turned away from the discussion and ran to the trees. I heard a moaning howl from a wolf, pleading. I joined Embry's pack.

_"Embry? Embry where are you?" _I called out.

_"Leah... Run... They'll kill you..." _He responded. I could feel his voice, his presence, unlike I could feel it before.

_"Fat chance ass hole." _I said pressing closer. The moon was falling pretty soon it would be morning. I came to the place I heard Embry but what I saw wasn't Embry. It was a werewolf. A giant being hobbling along with weapons piercing his body in every direction.

_"Leah what are you doing here?"_

_ "Embry is that you?"_

_ "Yes..."_

_ "How are you a werewolf?"_

_ "Long story... please I need you to pull the sword out of my chest."_

_ "Which one?" _I asked exasperatedly

_"This one." _It was only then I saw where the sword was driven through. His heart. It was driven straight through his heart.

_"Close your eyes while I become human." _

_ "Really Leah?"_

_ "Yes really!" _He obediently closed his eyes and I changed back and threw on my clothes.

"You want to explain why you're not dead?" I asked as I moved closer to him.

"I think I'm the King of Lycans." Embry said.

"You think? How the hell did that happen, don't you think that'd be something you'd more than "think" that you are."

"Well I am the king of all werewolves." he confirmed.

"And a werewolf? How did that happen."

"I don't know... It just happened. I think when I killed King Lycan he gave me some of his power."

"Wait YOU killed king lycan? The guy who I babysat."

"You babysat me once." Embry defended laughing and coughing. I was taken aback. _Embry... I don't even know what to think._ I put my hand on his chest but felt nothing.

"Embry... your heart isn't beating."

"No... it's hard to beat with a sword through it."

"I need you to pull the sword out."

"but won't that kill you?" I asked.

"If the sun comes up and I stop being a werewolf and I have a sword through my heart I know I'm dead."

"But... but... I can't be the one who kills you." I said frightened.

"Leah... I can't do it myself" he pleaded. I gripped the blade with both my hands. Watching the moon drop.

"Leah, do it, before it's too late."

"It might not matter." I said not wanting to do it.

"Do it Leah." he said trying to yell but couldn't. I ripped the sword out of him. His eyes went wide as his body fell to the ground. I pulled the other weapons out of his body setting them on the ground next to him. His wound over his heart closed... but I heard nothing.

"No... no!" I said shaking Embry as his body slowly turned back in to a human.

"No Embry... Don't leave me! I love you."

**Galahad's POV**

"Do it Leah." I heard from the distance. I chased the noise with Bors following close behind me. I moved silently, just in time to see a woman pull a sword out of the werewolf we fought. I turned back towards Arthur. And opened my mouth to call to them but before I could I felt cold fingers grasp my throat and smash me up against a tree.

"Silence Galahad... listen." Bors said silencing me whether I wanted to or not.

"No... No!"

"No Embry... don't leave me! I love you." I pulled Galahad close to me.

"Mercy... she doesn't need to die. We're going to let her go... he's already gone."

"Why show mercy?" I asked. Bors snorted.

"You think he pinned you up against that tree to kill you? No... he was sparing you... We'll show her the mercy he showed you."

**Sorry, couldn't resist mate. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I can't wait to finish the next one I'm not sure whats going to be in it. Remember to leave comments, questions, ideas, reviews, rolls of twenties, and knucks. Catch you on the flipside, Fireproof**


	5. The King of Lycans lives

**Disclaimer: Hey peeps! Look at that review section, obviously I'm not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: This Chapter is brought to you inspite of Bioshock Infinite. I definitely could have posted it a while ago if I wasn't playing that amazing game.**

**Leah's POV**

"I love you." I cried. I wanted a miracle. I needed a miracle. But they didn't happen. EJ couldn't be raised without a father. I love you... it was more like a plea to get him to come back. EJ needed him... _I needed him. _I didn't know how I needed him. I didn't know anything, but I'd give up Patrick if that meant Embry got to live. _Is that love? Is that desperation?_

I just continued to hold him close to me cradling him back and forth praying for the silence to end and his heart beat to restart. _No Embry! You haven't survived two wars, and being in the Volturi just to die here... please..._

"Come back to me Embry. I swear I'll give you all of me, just come back..." I begged him. But there was no response. I wrapped my body around him hugging him tight to me and cried to chest. I couldn't say it. I couldn't just let go. It couldn't end like this. We'd have all the time in the world. This was all my fault. If he wouldn't have gone to the Volturi he wouldn't be here, if I went with him He wouldn't be here. I murdered him. I squeezed him tight. And cried out the words I was so torn to say, but I knew I had to.

"Goodbye Embry. I love you."

**No POV**

_"There you go again."_

_ "What? Where? Why? How? Who are you?"_

_ "We are connected. And you know who I am."_

_ "No... How? Where am I?"_

_ "How and where are a bit... difficult."_

_ "What do you mean?"_

_ "You're dead."_

_ "I am? Where am I?"_

_ "That's also a tough question. You are, but you are no where, or what, or why, or how for that matter. You just are right now."_

_ "Is this the afterlife?"_

_ "Hah! no. this is not the afterlife. Because I'm not dead."_

_ "If you're not dead... and I am... how are we speaking?"_

_ "You called to me."_

_ "I did?"_

_ "Yes you did... begging for my help."_

_ "I don't know you."_

_ "But you do. And through this I've learned quite a bit about you. You've got a tendency to die a lot haven't you?"_

_ "I haven't died."_

_ "After your battle with the werebears you were 'in a coma' for some time. You weren't in a coma... you were dead. But for some reason something brought you back, some part of you, some part of your body brought you back."_

_ "You're crazy, I was in a coma, I wasn't dead."_

_ "No phaser has ever survived a vampire bite. You've watched your own die from it, yet you __survived."_

_ "Because I got blood from a half mortal."_

_ "That should have bought you a week at most. Yet you still live... eventually that poison will overcome even you and you will die... but you should have died years ago from it."_

_ "You forgot one. I almost died fighting King Lycan, he gave me some of his power that has extended my life for the promise of protecting his offspring."_

_ "The poison... usually it criples and kills the phasers... It is killing you... but it's also making your body stronger... if there was a way to get rid of that poison you might just be the most powerful being in the world."_

_ "Who are you?"_

_ "Hah... boy you still don't know? I'm the one who has cursed you with living to see tomorrow."_

"**Red" Lisa Williams POV**

I would approach him after one of our classes together. He would have to at least be civil. I knew I wasn't passing these classes on skill. I needed to get tutor to help me through these damn classes. Sure it was easy finding someone to help me, but I should be killing vampires, not learning fucking advanced physics. I stepped out of class as James was talking to one of his friends. He and his friend walked out.

"James?" I asked. He turned to face me and shook his head.

"Yeah I'll catch up with you." He called.

"What's up."

"What happened when we went out together? Why are you being such an asshole?"

"Maybe I'm just an asshole." I shook my head.

"No. You took me back to your place and took care of me, that lie doesn't work."

"So what, any guy should do that."

"Yes, but not all guys would." I said taking a step closer. James maneuvered more space between us.

"Common decency doesn't make me a good person, it just makes me a person." He said turning away.

"You lied to me." I said grasping at straws. He turned back to face me. I would have grabbed him but he seemed not to like physical contact from me. He pulled away every time I got close.

"About what?" He asked. I had to think quickly. I didn't want to be a liar. If I didn't remember anything it had to be something else.

"Your face." I said relieved to remember something.

"What about it?" he asked.

"The morning after you had a bruise on it. You didn't say anything about it." He smirked.

"That doesn't make me a liar I just didn't tell you."

"You didn't tell me something happened. I asked if something happened."

"No you asked if you did something stupid last night, and you didn't give me that bruise."

"How'd you get it?" I asked knowing full well how he got it. He looked around the crowded hallway and walked with me towards our dorms.

"Some guy was trying to take you upstairs... you didn't want to go... he was forceful. I broke you up and I caught a fist for my trouble."

"And that was nothing?" I asked. He looked away.

"It's not your fault he's a drunken ass." He said. I giggled.

"So you protected my honor?" I asked teasing him. He shrugged.

"Like I said before, I did nothing special. Anyone decent would do the same."

"Is that why you're mad at me?" I asked.

"Nope." He said.

"Then what is it?" I pestered.

"I'm not mad at you, but I can't see us ever being together."

"And why is that?" I asked. I wanted him to say it out loud.

"Because I'm not interested in someone who will just sleep with anyone." He said bluntly. I gasped then slapped him. He turned his face back to look at me then without a word walked away.

**Leah's POV**

I stood up turned around and started walking. I didn't have the strength to bring him back. To tell his sons, Jasper could, Jacob could... Someone else could. I sniffled and wiped the tears out of my eyes. No... I'd be strong. I took another step and heard a sound. I stopped dead in my tracks. _No... It can't be._

It was followed by another. Another, and another... spaced out... weak... slow. But they started to get stronger, and speed up. I ran to him but didn't touch him, I couldn't disturb him. The beating continued. It got stronger... then I heard the weak intake of breath. And breathing out. Seconds past like hours. Each one a bit stronger than the last. I bit my lip to keep from screaming, or saying anything not wanting to disturb him. Then I felt my open reborn.

His eyes opened. His eyes didn't turn to me at first. It looked like he was dazed, like he didn't see anything at all.

"Lie.. can..." he said painfully. His eyes came in to focus.

"What did you say Embry?" I asked.

"Lycan..." He said when he could finally speak. He cleared his throat.

"We must go..." He tried to get up but was failing. His body seemed to weigh him down.

"You can't even sit up."

"They're coming for me." He said. I'd forgotten completely about the rush I was supposed to be in. I never expected Embry to be dead. I helped Embry up to his feet but he was still heavy. He grabbed the weapons I pulled out of his body and took them with us. Embry was slow, heavy... but I stayed with him and pretended I didn't notice.

Once we made it back to the Cullens I stopped him.

"You want to tell me what the hell happened?" I asked.

"I... died." he responded.

"That's not funny Embry."

"I was dead. You heard my lack of heartbeat... I was dead... but someone decided it wasn't my time to die yet."

"And who has that power to decide that?"

"The one who gave me power... The one I was speaking to when I was dead. The one I called to... King Lycan."

"You mean the dead werewolf?" I asked. Embry shook his head.

"Obviously not. He's not dead..." I didn't understand how all this was possible.

"How?"

"I don't know." he said. I bit my lip. We both knew what we were avoiding talking about. One of us would have to start the conversation but I didn't know if I could. Embry sighed

"Look I know we'll need to talk about it... let's just get it over with." he said looking away. I bit my lip. _Did he hear me? Do I want that? Don't I?_

"Thanks for saving me Leah, thanks for risking your life for me, for coming for me. I realize it doesn't change anything. You love Patrick... I get it... you don't need to say anything."

"But Embry I..."

"Don't worry Leah... I get it... I don't like it but I get it."

"I..." _Is that what I want?_

"It's okay Leah... we might move on... but you'll always be my first love." Embry said smiling at me. I saw the side of a tear in his eye, not yet released. _I have done this._ In a different world. I may have been happy with him. In a different world I would have told Patrick to leave me alone. But not this world. This world I broke his heart, and more than anything I wanted him back... but I couldn't do that to him. Not again. I knew I still loved Patrick... No... as much as I wanted... I needed him... not again. Tomorrow I might fall, tomorrow I might run to his arms and beg him to take me back... but today... today I am strong enough not to do this to him.

"Yeah." I said looking away.

"You know I'll always have a special place in my heart for you too Embry... I mean it. I might not always show it, or tell you it... but I do." Embry smiled.

"You don't have to... Leah... I get it..." Embry hugged me warmly and turned away running his hand over his face. I locked my arms at my hips to make sure I didn't follow. His warmth, I missed his familiar touch. I craved it, like an addiction. I knew what he was doing, with his back to me. He was wiping his tears away. He was being strong. He stepped through the last branches to the clearing behind the Cullens. Ayden, EJ, and Adam were waiting. Ayden and EJ hugged him closely. Adam turned his eyes to mine.

"Thank you for bringing back my alpha." I turned back to Embry. _He really is the alpha of werewolves. _He is holding my child... our child. We could be a family... we could be a happy perfect family. Forever... _Leonard. _I thought of my own child with Patrick. _In another world... we could have been a family. We could have been perfect... we could have been happy... but not in this world._

**Embry's POV**

Leah turned and left. I watched her go. Letting her go back to Patrick. I wanted to beg her to come back. To give us another chance... but she made her decision. She chose Patrick. And she still chooses Patrick. As much as it hurt me, I had her go. _Goodbye Leah._

"**Red" Lisa William's POV**

I threw my bag across the room nearly hitting Hawkeye. He snickered as I started pacing through the room.

"That bad huh?"

"Shut up Hawkeye, you could hear it and you know it was."

"So he's not falling in to your arms, you really thought it'd be that easy?"

"I thought he'd be desperate." I groaned.

"Well obviously he's not." White pointed out.

"I see that." I grumbled.

"Do you? Because if you keep treating him like he should be honored to have a chance for you he will never want you."

"I'm not doing that." I defended.

"Aren't you? Because if you're interested in him you're going to have to show why you are, because otherwise he'll never believe you."

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter, next chapter will feature Mike's POV and as usual James and William's story. Please remember to review. Thanks for reading, as always high fives, knucks, reviews, love notes, and rolls of twenty dollar bills in the comment section. Catch you on the flipside, Fireproof**


	6. Threatened

**Disclaimer: yeah so I'm not Stephenie Meyer, otherwise I wouldn't have been surprised when I heard the Host was actually a thing...**

**Disclaimer Deuce: so yeah this is a longer one... I think?**

**Mike's POV**

I walked a block behind James as he went out at night. I kept my hood down and sensed him. I couldn't run the risk of him looking back and recognizing me. I felt a stranger bump in to me and mutter an apology. I nodded and kept walking. James turned a corner. I felt something in my pocket. Something that wasn't there a moment ago. I opened it up tentatively. It was a piece of paper.

"_Meet me in the abandoned _

_field off Billings road tonight_

_or your brother will not live _

_to see tomorrow. Come alone"_

I panicked and moved as fast as I could subtly. He headed in to the library. I read the note three more times. There was no way around it. I tried to track back the person who bumped me but he was long gone.

Desperation, I came here to protect him and now he was getting death threats, because of me. I knew what I had to do, I had to find this guy and end him.

**James' POV**

I stared at my book. _How many times had I read this section studying for the test? Did I even know what was in it? I need a break. _I saw someone walking towards me out of the corner of my eye. I didn't look I pretended to be focusing on my homework. She sat down across me. She didn't say anything but just opened the same book I had. I didn't have to look up to know who it was. It was her.

"What's your deal?" I said frustrated.

"Shhh, I'm trying to study here." Lisa responded. I snickered and returned my attention to my book. After reading it for another twenty seconds I closed my book in frustration. Lisa looked at me for a moment and smirked but returned to her book. After a couple minutes she turned her attention to me.

"What's your deal?"

"Shhh, I'm trying not to study here." I said in a mocking voice. She smiled back at me.

"I don't know, my theory is if I need to study the instructor didn't teach it well enough." I said leaning back and sighing.

"Funny, some of us have to study, we're not just geniuses."

"So is that why you're pursuing me?" I asked.

"No... but I'd like your help studying if you'd give it." I looked down at my book for a moment then back at her.

"Sure... but I need a break, want to go for a walk?" she seemed to ponder it for a moment for a second before putting her books away.

"Yeah, why not." she said getting up. I smiled packing mine up as well. I started walking next to her.

"So tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

"Music, hobbies, family, anything."

"Well I'm an only child, and my dad always pushed me to learn self defense, so I guess that's my hobby... and I don't really listen to music." she admitted.  
"Huh... my brother was in to self defense." I said lamenting. I looked down at the ground reminded of Mike again.

"Which brother is that?" she asked. I didn't answer at first.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's the brother I didn't tell you about."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The reason I learned basic wrist manipulation is because my older brother was in to it. He taught me them... and then... well I got more in to it later... So you said you don't really listen to music, how is that possible." She grabbed my arm and stopped me forcing me to turn and face her.

"Don't change the subject."

"I don't like talking about him, and it's not exactly a good icebreaker."

"But I want to know, why did you lie to me." I smiled and shook my head.

"Technically I didn't lie to you, I just didn't tell you the whole truth. I told you about my siblings, but didn't tell you about my brother Mike."

"So what's his story." I bit my lip. I didn't like talking about it. It brought back hard memories.

"I really don't want to talk about it but I'll give you the abridged version. Mike is two years older than me. He went up north with his girlfriend. When someone tried to take his girlfriend he intervened and helped her get away but got taken instead. That happened over two years ago." I said uncomfortably.

"You said he "is" two years older than you, not "was." she quoted.

"Caught that huh? I don't believe he's dead. I know that makes me crazy but I just know he's out there somewhere. If that makes me delusional I guess it does."

"You're not delusional for holding on to hope." Lisa said comforting me.  
"It's not hope... I can't describe it." I stopped for a moment. And looked away.

"What is it James?" she said wrapping her arm around mine.  
"I haven't told anyone this before and you'd think it's crazy."

"I promise I won't." I laughed quietly.

"You have no clue what I'm about to say and you're sure I'm not crazy?"

"Of course James." she said hugging my arm. It was nice... comforting... good.

"To the entire world he was just another person. But to me he was my brother. He was my first and best friend, one of the few people who stood by me through everything. I can say he's my brother and think that means enough that people understand, but they never do. We argued, we fought, but at the end of the night without ever saying a word we both knew we loved each other... I don't even know what I'm saying... I'm sorry." I said realizing I'd gotten off topic.

"No... please continue... I want to know." she gently pushed.

"He helped guide me, he protected me... and then he was gone. The world mourned his disappearance... a day, a week, a month... then after that I was supposed to go back to life like it was normal. Like life could ever be normal again. No... if Mike was dead it had to be more. It couldn't just be he walked out the door one day and never came back... he deserved more." Lisa gulped.

"I... James... I'm so sorry... I... I gotta go." Lisa said before running away. _Fucking great._

"**Red" Lisa Williams' POV**

"I don't fucking care Hawkeye, I'm not doing it anymore." I said throwing my school bag against the wall.

"Yeah, Ironman, we got a problem." He said in to his headset.

"What, you thought it'd be easy? You thought you'd just walk in and bat your eyelashes and secretly loathe him while he loved you?"

"Yes, actually I did."

"Well that's too damn bad, you're here to protect him, and that's assuming you don't wuss out now." I turned and saw Jack Elzam walk through the door.

"What's the problem?"

"Red's getting cold feet." White said pointing his thumb at me. Elzam turned his eyes assessing me.

"You do realize you're putting your feelings for him over his own safety right?"

"I don't have feelings for him, I just don't want to hurt him... he's not an asshole." I stopped and looked for any other answer.

"You heard what he said. It doesn't sound like Mike would hurt his brother... he didn't kill any of you guys." I pointed out.

"Right... so it's getting difficult so you plan on just hoping his vampire brother resists every natural urge he has and doesn't kill his brother, that you don't have feelings for. Officer Williams, you have no logical argument against this assignment." Elzam pointed out. _Officer, he's gone in to his formal high road, fucking tight ass wad._

"Maybe not all vampires are murderers." I defended my position.

"So your family was killed by vampires, my wife was killed by a vampire, everything we've ever known is every vampire we've ever come upon has been a serial killer and you want to bet all this kid's life you 'don't like' on the idea that his brother might be different from the dozens of vampires we've already killed?" Commander Elzam pressed. His voice remained even, calm, controlled during the entire discussion. It was unnerving how confident he was. I wanted to argue but every argument seemed stupid.

"I just thought... since he spared you, and he easily could have sliced off your head, blown the fucking shit out of both Psycho, and Yiny, not to mention cut Shinobi in half and the same to Hawkeye that he might not be a monster."

"Officer Williams, you will speak in a professional manner." Elzam scolded.

"Furthermore it's not prudent to bet all that because the job becomes uncomfortable. You will return to James Iverson, you will get closer, and you will protect him, and given the opportunity you will kill Michael Iverson." Elzam commanded.

For the first time since James told me about his brother we said his name. I didn't see the hardened vampire who easily dispatched my entire team... I saw who he was when he was a child. The stories James told me. An older brother protecting his younger brother. Then it hit me.

"What if Mike is here to protect his brother, not to hurt him?"

"Protect him from what?" Commander Elzam asked.

"I don't know..." I said looking down.

"Your command stands, Officer Williams, Recite your orders."

"To get closer to James Iverson and kill Michael Iverson if given the opportunity." I heard a buzzing noise.

"Hey Taylor, what you doing tonight?" James was on the phone.

"Nothing much just studying."

"Your offer still open to get me shitfaced?" James asked. I heard a laugh.

"Of course, but what changed your mind?"

"Oh you'll hear about it soon." The phone hung up. Commander Elzam turned to face me.

"It says in your reports he doesn't drink alcohol... not a drop." he said eying me.

"It's the truth, he's never drank a drop with me."

"Come on commander, please tell me you see it."

"Unlike you White, I haven't read all the notes."

"Basic psychology. Lisa here tried to get him drunk and wants to drink with him. She hurt him, so he's getting shitfaced with the guys, plus it's booze, it cures everything for college students."

"Interesting. Tonight will be very useful to listen to." Commander Elzam sat down next to White.

"I'd really rather we didn't." I responded.

"Too bad, nothing to do now but enjoy the show." White said grabbing beers from the fridge. He didn't ask Elzam, he just put a beer in front of him. Elzam pushed it aside.

"Oh come on Jack, don't be a bitch." White said.

"White." Elzam said.

"Sorry, Commander Elzam sir, don't be a bitch."

**Mike's POV**

I saw him waiting for me. He was wearing black pants, no shirt, and a white mask completely covering his head, leaving an eerie White glowing eyes sticking out behind a bland white head.

"Welcome Michael."

"I don't have time for your shit." I said unsheathing my sword immediately. He seemed taken aback as I charged him. He pulled out his two katanas. Stumbling backwards he tried to block away my attacked.

"Would you listen?" he said blocking away my attacks.

"Shut up and die!" I put all my strength behind my strength throwing him backwards.

"Stop being so damn dramatic, I never had any intention of killing your brother, if I would have Alice would have known wouldn't she?" He said.

"I don't care, you threaten my brother you die, period."

"I'm here to test your worth."

"You don't define my worth." I responded.

"It's quite simple, If I win, you die... if you win... I'll give you information you don't know you need."

"This changes nothing, you're going to die, because you threatened James." I said before charged again. This time he met me head on and started pushing back against me. Quickly I found myself on the defensive. I was tired of these games. I released my energy and started glowing blue. I charged and took a burst of speed to teleport short distance to behind him driving my sword in to his heart from behind. I let it sit there for a moment then realized I couldn't pull it out. His body had healed around my blade.

_Vampires don't heal that fast. _He spun with a sword, I was now disarmed. I dodged out of the way, now disarmed and at another disadvantage. I ramped up and energy turned red. I charged at him again, this time blocking away his swords with my feet and hands at every step. I kicked away his left arm, and blocked away his right getting inside his guard, I open palmed his chin up and stepped around him grabbing his head from behind and pulling it straight backwards breaking it, then I pulled my sword out of his back and sliced the head clean off.

"I don't care about your information, you threatened my brother. You can't live." I said before turning around. I walked away but a voice answered back.

"Fine... I swear I shall never hurt James. I had no intention of doing it, if I did Alice would have known, but you beat me... so you get your part." I turned around and faced him staring at him in disbelief.

He sheathed one of his katana's and set it on the ground.

"You bested me and this is your prize. This is my blade, and the information you don't know you need. One of James' friends aren't a friend at all... but a spy." He turned and disappeared in to the darkness.

"Who?"

"Look and you'll find who."

"**Red" Lisa Williams' POV**

I was surprised. Commander Elzam was sitting with Jeremy White and I drinking beer.

"So why are you so straight laced anyway?" White asked the question I'd wondered for as long as I'd known him. I just never knew how to ask. Jeremy just asked, didn't tip toe around it. Elzam shrugged taking another drink.

"Easier that way."

"What is?" I asked.

"Easier to keep my personal life away from my job."

"What personal life?" Jeremy laughed.

"No personal life..." Elzam said.

"I've been so focused on hunting vampires, what's anything else matter?"

"So how do you keep your sanity then?" White asked. Elzam's eyes turned to Jeremy and smiled just slightly.

"Whose to say I kept it?"

"But why are you doing it now? We know you did it to get us all together and working together but why now?" I asked pressing him for answers. He turned to me about to answer but stopped when the sound of James' car stopped.

"We're live people." He said. _Damn it Jack, I'll get my answers sooner or later._

"So James, what changed your mind?" James laughed sarcastically.

"Not yet Taylor, I'm not drunk enough." I heard White snickering.

"This will be fun to listen to."  
"Here, try this."

"What is it?"

"Captain and coke" Taylor said.

"Did I miss anything?" Zivo asked.

"Nope, James just about to pop his alcoholic cherry."

"How was it?" Zivo asked.

"Wow, that tastes bad... I'm supposed to finish all of this?" James asked.

"Well otherwise you could take shots." I heard a laugh.

"Shot for shot with another person?" a voice asked.

"Sure, can't be worse than cough syrup." another laugh. _Oh fuck tell me James isn't going shot for shot with a drinker on his first night._

"I'll go with ya." Zivo volenteered.

"Oh! Freshmen drink off!" Taylor shouted.

"Do we have a visual?" Commander Elzam asked.

"Why do we need a visual?" White asked. Elzam shrugged.

"Better watch a movie then listen to a story." he said.

"Ahh yeah, we can bring up a visual on the house through a window." the camera popped up and I saw five shot glasses lined up on either side of the table and Zivo and James.

"Welcome to your introduction in to alcoholism. I am your professor, Prof. Awesome. Now your first class is going to be on shots." Taylor announced in a half drunken professional manner.

"Gentlemen, On your marks... get set... Drink!" Taylor yelled. James and Zivo took the first shots. At the beginning they were neck in neck but as the shots kept dropping James pulled ahead and finished the last drink as Zivo grabbed his last one. James made a funny face trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

"To the victor goes the Victory Dew." Taylor said handing James a Mountain Dew. James drank some before handing it to Zivo. Zivo thanked him and finished the can. James started bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I feel fine, don't feel a thing..." he said testing his balance. Taylor gave James a look.

"Give it a bit."

"Now the fun part begins." White commented. I leaned back in my chair knowing exactly what he meant. The questions would start being asked.

"You ever got that feeling that you just want to trade punches to the gut?" Zivo asked. James shrugged.

"Sure, yeah I'll trade punches with ya." James took the first shot at Zivo and Zivo took it.

"Damn man, you have hard abs... do you live in the wellness center?" James asked. Zivo shrugged then took his shot at James. They both laughed.

"James drink this." Taylor said handing him another shot. James took it without hesitating. He walked towards the couch but lost his balance for a moment. He grabbed on to the couch and sat down. A girl sat down next to him, a bit closer than usual. James noticed immediately. He got back up quickly.

"I need to use the restroom." he said as he stumbled over to the bathroom. It made me kind of jealous that he drank with these people but wouldn't drink with me. _He trusts them. _He also knew all of them. I stopped the jealousy and denied it.

_I'm not jealous it would just make my life easier. _James left the room and Taylor stared at the girl.

"What?" she asked.

"You know he doesn't like being touched..." Taylor chided.

"Yeah but he's drunk I was hoping..."

"Well there's Lisa there too..." The girl waved off Taylor.

"Lisa Williams is messing up every chance she gets. He's here getting drunk because of her." she explained. White snickered.

"Sounds about spot on to me." White said.

"Yes we need to talk about that." Elzam said turning to me.

"Again?" I groaned.

"Yes again, are you trying to fail? Because this guy you like so much is going to be made supper if you're not doing your job."

"I don't like him, he's just a good guy... This whole thing is bullshit."

"Bullshit or not it's your assignment. And you better get used to that because it's going to happen." I looked at the girl trying to get close to James. It made my blood boil. That is when I realized an embarrassing truth that I wouldn't tell anyone else. I was really starting to like this guy.

**So yeah, there's another chapter. I hope you like it. Remember as always to read, review, give high fives and enjoy. Catch you on the Flipside, Fireproof**


	7. Take on me

**Disclaimer: Still not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: So yeah... I've had this chapter done for a good week or two, just never got to posting it. What's the point of rushing if no one is reviewing?**

**James' POV**

"What do you mean you can't play battle of the bands with us Taylor?" Erin said exasperated. I watched amused.

"I'm going to see my younger brother play in his winter concert that weekend and I'll be gone."

"But we were counting on you to play "Take on me" with us." she said pouting.

"You can find someone else who plays trumpet, look around half the people here do." Her eyes turned to me and she smiled.

"James... can you help us?"

"Who is us?" I asked.

"Erin and the Xenophobes." I blinked.

"That's a real name...?" I asked.

"Yes! What's wrong with it? It's funny."

"I don't know." I said skeptically.

"Twenty bucks if you play one song with us." I shrugged.

"Take on me by A-ha?"  
"Yeah but we thought we'd make it a bit more punk to try and make it different."

"Yeah... but you know Reel Big Fish already did that."

"True but most people don't know that... please... Help me James Iverson... you're my only hope." I tried to keep a straight face.

"Tell me you didn't just quote Star Wars to get me to help you."

"It worked didn't it?" I laughed.

"Yeah... I'll do it."

**Lisa's POV**

"What the fuck... that damn skank Erin is going to ruin all our plans."

"So let me get this straight, you're telling me some bimbo is going to ruin our entire campaign?" White said snickering as he tossed cards in to an empty bucket.

"Well I can't rush it... I just... Damn it."

"Don't then, crazy idea Lisa... how about trying to be yourself."

"Well..."

"I know it's not very glamorous but nothing else is working."

"I hate you, you know that." I said at White finally landed a card in the bucket.

"Nah, you know I'm awesome."

**Lisa's POV**

_Battle of the bands. _I didn't know if it would do any good but I would support James. After he played I would be here to congratulate him. I leaned against the railing on the balcony on the left side of the side. If I stood close enough James might see me. I looked up in to the rafters. Jeremy White left a rifle up there in case Mike came. If I had a good shot I was going to kill Mike here and now. That was if he was stupid enough to show up. _He wouldn't be stupid enough to show up in this public of a place... a place he could get seen. _I put it out of mind and focused on the music. Some song that sounded like every other song. Music didn't speak to me. It just was noise. "Erin and the Xenophobes" were up next... what kind of stupid name was that? I leaned over railing getting in position to see James play the trumpet.

_ How the hell does one "be yourself" when you're trying to be someone else? How does one act normal in a crowd when blending in is what you've been working on. I can't fake an interest in music... James sees through me. He sees through the bullshit._

"Lisa? Mike has been spotted, I report Mike is on his way inside. Take your position." _You've got to be kidding me._

"Can you give me a description? There is a lot of people here."

"Yeah, blue jeans, black hooded sweatshirt, hood up, dark beard. Hard to see facial features." I watched as an announcer stepped on to the stage. I turned my vision back to the doorway. A man matching the description Ironman gave me stepped in. He stood in the back.

"The next band is Erin an the Xenophobes!" I turned my attention to the stage. James made his way out in blue jeans, a black button down shirt, and his hair was in a faux hawk. He seemed a bit nervous at first but Erin said something to him and he smiled. A guy with a guitar grabbed the mic.

"Hey, we're Erin and the Xenophobes. We've got a special guest tonight with us. Erin's friend James is going to help us out on a song." James waved then bounced back and forth on the balls of his feet. The drummer clicked his sticks together and the band started playing. The guitarist stepped forward. James played the trumpet intro and started jumping around and dancing.

"Talking away

I don't know what I'm to say

I'll say it anyway

today isn't my day to find you

shying away

I'll be coming for your love, ok?" Erin joined James dancing. James seemed to be enjoying himself... it would make things more difficult if they got close. My turned my eyes to Mike who was bobbing his head to the music in the back. I looked down the sight. At Mike.

"Take on me (take on me)  
Take me on (take on me)  
I'll be gone

In a day or two" He was smiling. I hadn't seen him smiling. I looked closer, he was saying something... no not saying something. He was singing along.

"Red, do you have the shot?" I looked. He was a good five feet away from everyone, in the back against the wall. The shot was clear as I could possibly hope it to be.

"Uh... let me check." I said trying to buy time."  
"So needless to say

Of odds and ends

But I'll be stumbling away

Slowly learning that life is ok.

Say after me

it's no better to be safe than sorry." The shot was open. Why couldn't I take it. I aimed at his head. _"__He was my first and best friend, one of the few people who stood by me through everything." _The words ran through my head as I tried to focus.

"Take on me (take on me)

Take me on (take on me)

I'll be gone

In a day or two."  
"Red is the shot open?" Ironman persisted._ "We argued, we fought, but at the end of the night without ever saying a word we both knew we loved each other."_

"I... I..." I stammered.

"Oh, things that you say**  
**Is it a life or just to play my worries away?**  
**You're all the things I've got to remember**  
**You're shying away**  
**I'll be coming for you anyway" _"__He helped guide me, he protected me... and then he was gone. The world mourned his disappearance... a day, a week, a month... then after that I was supposed to go back to life like it was normal. Like life could ever be normal again. No... if Mike was dead it had to be more. It couldn't just be he walked out the door one day and never came back... he deserved more." _I gulped as my hands started shaking.

****"Take on me (take on me),**  
**Take me on (take on me)**  
**I'll be gone**  
**In a day." "Red! Come in Red, is the shot clean." I stared down the barrel and breathed calming myself. _I can't do this to James. No... not me._

"The shot isn't clean, he's too close to everyone." I lied. I packed up the gun.****

"Take on me (take on me),**  
**Take me on (take on me)**  
**I'll be gone**  
**In a day."I turned my attention to the stage as James danced and the song ended. An announcer came to the stage with James and the band on the stage still.

"The judges have decided, and Erin and the Xenophobes will make it to the next round!" Erin threw her arms around James neck hugging him. I shook my head leaving my position.

"I'm continuing with the given mission." I said formally hiding my weapon and making my way towards the stage. I watched James as I got closer. He looked down surprised to see me.

"Oh, Hey Lisa, what are you doing here?" I shrugged.

"I thought it might be a good time. I was pretty surprised to hear you playing... you did well!" I admitted honestly. _Honesty, don't go over the top Lisa, he sees through your bullshit. _I thought. James came down from the stage.

"Thanks for coming?" he said awkwardly. I smiled.

"It's fine, I didn't come for you... seeing you was just an added bonus." James smirked.

"It was good to see you play... you seemed to really enjoy yourself." I said. James blushed.

"Yeah... ugh... that happened."

"Well I have to head home and finish some homework, see you monday?" I asked.

"Yeah definitely." He said nodding. I walked away and made it to my car, by the time it was running my phone was ringing, Commander Elzam.

"Why didn't you take your shot." He wasn't tiptoeing around the problem obviously.

"The shot wasn't clean." I said calmly.

"I don't believe you. You were hesitating."

"Because I didn't think I could take the shot without endangering humans."

"I don't believe you. I think you're too close to this one."

"You told me to get close, remember so give me a fucking break."

"Red." he said void of emotion. I bit my lip.

"I'm sorry sir."

"Keep your emotions in check."

"Yes sir." I felt my phone beep."

"I got another call coming in from James."

"Take it... but don't think this is over. Hawkeye is on his way to your place to debrief and assess."

"Yes sir." I switched my calls.

"Hey James, what's up?" I asked puzzled.

"Oh, just got word from the band, the judges loved the trumpet, thought I was good, they said it was their favorite part of the performance. They're bringing me back for the next show!" He said excitedly.

"That's awesome! When are you playing next?"

"A week from tonight. If we win the competition we're going to get to do a bunch of shows around town and play at a music festival."

"I'm so excited for you!" I said smiling. _Am I? I am aren't I?_

"I gotta go, the band is going to celebrate."

"Have fun." I said biting my lip. _That bitch Erin will be there._

"Thanks, bye." I sighed unlocking the door to my apartment. _Why couldn't I do it? Michael Iverson is a vampire. Vampires killed my parents. Vampires are evil. _No. I couldn't do it because it was wrong. James' brother had the opportunity to kill the whole team and he let it pass. He wasn't the enemy. He might even be on our side. I put my keys on the hook but something was out of place. The door to my bedroom was open. It was never open.

"Does this smell like chloroform?" A voice asked the from behind me before putting a cloth over my face. Everything blurred... _who? What?_

**So there is the chapter. What do you think? Hope you enjoyed it. Remember to give reviews, high fives, knucks, rolls of twenties, and comments. ~Fireproof**


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